


Pokémon and the World Around Us with David Elderwood: The Noble Bidoof

by Rosencrantz



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Gen, Worldbuilding, a bidoof dies on screen, homage to david attenborough and his many works, nature documentary, non-graphic pokedeath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-01 10:05:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17865254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosencrantz/pseuds/Rosencrantz
Summary: In this episode of Pokémon and the World Around Us with David Elderwood, we focus on the Bidoof of Route 201.





	Pokémon and the World Around Us with David Elderwood: The Noble Bidoof

**Author's Note:**

  * For [luckybarton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckybarton/gifts).



> Thank you for a fun prompt! Thank you to Morbane for the beta! Images off Bulbapedia!
> 
> Thank you to David Attenborough for your years of service.

[The scene opens on a bright beautiful morning. The grass is long, the sun is shining, and the camera is squarely focused on today's Pokémon.]

And we wish Spiritomb luck on its journey! But for now we will move onto a much more humble Pokémon, Bidoof.

[Camera zooms in on some shifting grass and then a Bidoof pokes its head out and sniffs the air before waddling towards a pond. Music swells.]

Bidoof is a simple Pokémon. It wants for little, simply food and space to live. This Sinnoh native has spread to the regions of Kanto, Johto, and Kalos! Where it finds home, it brings lots of family with it. The Bidoof is one of the most populous species of Pokémon in the world!

Brown and fluffy with an curious face, it stands on all fours at 1'08 feet. Bidoof is a plant-eater with a gentle disposition. You'd think a cute little fellow like this would have a lot to be afraid of in this world!

But in fact--

[Camera switches from Bidoof to an oncoming Growlithe roaring flames at it. It stands its ground, preparing to roast the Bidoof with a powerful Flamethrower attack! Bidoof, however, wanders a foot out of reach to start chewing on a boulder.]

This Pokémon has become known for its 'nerves of steel'. 

It seems to be having trouble with this Growlithe, an uncommon Pokémon here on Route 201! Or at least, Growlithe seems to be having trouble with it! 

Growlithe is a fire Pokémon that has powerful flame attacks and eats smaller Pokémon like Bidoof here. To trainers, Growlithes are loyal companions and many serve with the police. But this Growlithe is wild and it doesn't seek to serve - merely to eat and survive another day.

Let's look closer to see what happens. This could end in triumph for Bidoof… or tragedy.

[The Growlithe runs at the Bidoof, barking flames. Bidoof doesn't look up from the boulder it's gnawing, but just as the Growlithe gets close enough, Bidoof suddenly leaps into the air, hops on and off the Growlithe's head, and safely lands in the water.]

You don't often think of Bidoof as an aquatic Pokémon! But he has a little trick up his sleeve that Growlithe wasn't expecting!

[Bidoof rises out of the pond, but on top of a much larger Bibarel.]

I'm sorry, Growlithe, but between Bidoof's big brother evolution Bibarel's sharp incisors and water attacks, it looks like you'll need to find your next meal elsewhere!

[Growlithe runs away as Bibarel shoots a stream of water at it.]

Bidoof will become a water type if and when it evolves. Its evolution, Bibarel, is a valuable member of the ecosystem. Bibarel is held in high regard by the people of Sinnoh as the dams this extremely industrious Pokémon builds will never cause the banks to overflow! You can see how Bidoof is growing as strong as this Bibarel from the short work it made of the boulder it now returns to gnawing upon.

A Bidoof must constantly gnaw to keep its teeth in check. Studies have shown that they grow as fast as the teeth of a Rattata. These teeth, which grow constantly, need to be constantly maintained to be kept a reasonable length. Too long and it could spell disaster for the Bidoof.

This Bidoof is safe for now.

But another Bidoof, and there are many along this Route, is not as lucky.

The Growlithe has found her prey.

[Music grows fast-paced as the camera focuses on a Bidoof sitting in a clearing eating a berry. It is unaware of the approaching Growlithe.]

This Bidoof is _too_ unperturbed. Unlike our first little friend, this one does not think to even try to dodge the Growlithe as it comes closer. 

And in a moment, it's all over.

Or is it?

[Growlithe encompasses the Bidoof in flames - but just as it seems like nothing could escape, the Bidoof comes running out, alive but on fire!]

It's a chase now! Bidoof is running for its life - both to escape the Growlithe and to put out the flames!

As we saw earlier, Bidoof is much more agile than its round little body would imply! And this one certainly has motivation to move fast. Amazingly it is actually outpacing the Growlithe, known for her tireless pursuits. Will she be denied another meal?

[Camera follows the Bidoof's path. It is heading up to the road.]

This Bidoof must be lost; the pond is in the other direction!

Or is it?

It turns out the Bidoof has found another source of aid - a Squirtle! Squirtles are unusual-to-unheard-of in this area. But like Bidoof's evolution, Squirtle is a water type and obviously one at that. Bidoof has a plan to save itself!

But despite Bidoof's strange chanting cry, the Squirtle will not put out the fire, seeming not to understand what is wrong. Instead Squirtle sings back to Bidoof.

And the Growlithe is upon it.

Goodbye, Bidoof.

But Bidoof as a species did not get as populous as it is by ignoring the suffering of their fellow Bidoof. No, there is a reason Growlithe are uncommon on Route 201. Because while Squirtle was unwilling to put itself in between Growlithe and her prey, leading to a lucky meal for Growlithe, Growlithe will soon learn that the Bidoof of this area have no wish to become mere prey.

Growlithe has eaten her fill. Little does she realize a small fuzzy brown army is coming for her. The dying chant of the burning Bidoof traveled far.

The Bidoof move like a shifting carpet of brown, step in step. To them, ultimate safety will be in their large numbers. And as the saying goes, where there is one Bidoof, there is many. Bringing up the rear, not through strategy but through their clumsiness on land, are three Bibarel. They've come to avenge their unlucky member.

There's a familiar Bidoof at the front as well! Our friend from earlier! 

While Bidoof would normally not care about their surroundings, and are in fact famed for it, it seems this Growlithe has made things personal for them. 

Growlithe, for her part, has noticed something is amiss.

[Growlithe looks up from her meal to realize the ground is shaking, as shown by the moving grass beside her. She stands up, hackles raised.]

The Bidoof have found Growlithe.

[The brown army crests the hill and Growlithe goes from bold to ears back. She turns and runs. The Bidoof follow as a thundering crowd.]

The Bidoof are fast when they put their mind to it. Is Growlithe faster? Will Growlithe have gained a meal, but lost her life?

[The Bidoof are gaining on Growlithe as Growlithe runs through the long grass, directly into a trainer!]

This is unexpected! A human is now involved in what was a Pokémon-only dispute! What will happen to this young child? How will they react to the drama of nature playing out in front of them?

[The child, a girl in a sundress, sees the Growlithe running towards her. She reaches into her pack and pulls out a blue and yellow ball and flings it at the Growlithe. The Growlithe is turned to energy and sucked into the ball. The ball does not rock, a usual reaction from Pokémon who have just been caught as they test the ball. The pokeball clicks in success immediately. It seems Growlithe has made her choice and not a moment too soon!]

The Growlithe has found safety in the arms of a trainer. The Bidoof are thwarted.

Or are they?

One way or another, they took a predator out of their habitat.

We talked with the trainer, Shondra, after.

[Cut to narrator David Elderwood standing beside Trainer Shondra with a microphone and a Starly on his head.

David Elderwood: "Is this your first Pokémon?"

Shondra: "No! My first is my Squirtle Squirty!" 

Squirty: "Squirtle!"

It is the same Squirtle from before.

Shondra: "He's my best friend! But a Growlithe! I'm going to find a firestone and evolve it into an Arcanine and ride it around Sinnoh!"

David Elderwood: "What do you plan to name it?" 

Shondra beams up at David Elderwood, picking up her Squirtle to hug.

Shondra: "Hmm. Barky?" 

David Elderwood: "A fine name!" 

Shondra: "Why are there so many Bidoof around here? It feels like that's all I've been seeing until Barky!"

This concludes our segment on Bidoof! We hope you've come to appreciate this small, noble, Pokémon all the more.

Our next chapter will focus on the elusive Banette! This Pokémon is said to come from the thrown away toys of children! See you on Route 227! Tune in next time for _Pokémon and the World Around Us with David Elderwood!_


End file.
